This invention relates to a process for preparing a product predominant in decabromodiphenyl alkane.
Polybromodiphenyl alkanes, e.g. decabromodiphenyl ethane, are known flame retardants for use in polyolefin- and in polystyrenic-based formulations. Generally, these flame retardants can be produced by the reaction of a diphenylalkane and bromine in the presence of a bromination catalyst. The reaction product will be a mixture of various diphenylalkane bromohomologs and will have an average bromine number which is equal to the average number of ar-substituted bromine atoms per molecule of brominated diphenylalkane in the product.
For several applications, a preferred product is one which has a very high decabromodiphenyl alkane content.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an economic and practical process for the production of a product which is at least 95 weight percent decabromodiphenyl alkane.